Field of the Invention
This invention relates to gamification of crowdfunding to increase user participation and contributions, crowdfunding which uses a competitive game of knowledge to dual fund a designated cause and the high-scoring participants, and more particularly to such a game which may be played by many participating funders at once through a network of computers and mobile devices such that they fund an aggregated set of loans.
Description of the Related Art
Through the Internet, a massive number of individuals interact virtually to form an online community communicating via a network. Entrepreneurs and groups have found ways to create or solicit these online communities which enables them to reach out to the many individuals to create unique opportunities to share knowledge, collaborate or even raise capital. Through use of the network, the online community may take initiative to support goals or causes which may be of common interest. Some exploits have allowed the network of connected individuals to realize grand accomplishments.
Crowdsourcing is one way individuals use the connections through the network to obtain services, products, or ideas by soliciting contributions from a large group of people. Online venture capital campaigns have improved the economy by raising money through a type of crowdsourcing called crowdfunding.
Meanwhile, the Internet and online social networks have been exploited by gaming companies for the capital gain of those companies. Participants in the online gaming communities pay large sums of money to be a part of the game. Online affiliates pay money to gaming companies in the form of advertising and other compensation.
Social connections within the online community are furthered by the use of social networks. Exploitation of these networks by crowdsourcing sites and gaming sites allows extra expansion of these programs and services.
It is ingrained in humans to seek knowledge. It is also innate that humans will seek to compete with other humans. Naturally, then, there has been a long history of trivia competitions where participants compare smarts. Online hosts have provided various incarnations of trivia competitions, some complimentary competitions, some requiring membership, and some for a fee. These trivia competitions typically incorporate a social network interface so that participants can interact with their existing communities or build more connections with individuals having like interests.